• Network: HBO
  • Series Premiere Date: Feb 16, 2013
  • Season #: 1
Beyonce: Life Is But a Dream Image
Metascore

Mixed or average reviews - based on 14 Critics What's this?

User Score

Mixed or average reviews- based on 28 Ratings

  • Summary: Beyoncé stars and co-directed this documentary that includes her decision to end management ties with her father and the birth of her daughter, Blu Ivy.
  • Genre(s): Documentary
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 14
  2. Negative: 2 out of 14
  1. Reviewed by: Ken Tucker
    Feb 8, 2013
    83
    What gives this film grit are the visual displays of her work ethic and her fierce determination to "bring R&B music back" to the center of current pop music, to "forget being cool" and reveal naked passion. [15 Feb 2013, p.60]
  2. Reviewed by: Ed Bark
    Feb 13, 2013
    75
    Life Is But A Dream in reality doesn't give all that much. Still, it's a watchable film for those who just can't get enough of a pop music jewel to behold who's still just 31 and likely not even in her prime yet.
  3. Reviewed by: Willa Paskin
    Feb 13, 2013
    60
    The best parts of Life Is But a Dream are not the confessionals, but watching Beyoncé become Beyoncé. It’s a transformation we see only bits of.... But mostly, there’s no sweat. We hear about her angst, and then we see the finished product.
  4. Reviewed by: Matthew Gilbert
    Feb 15, 2013
    30
    It’s an oddly unnecessary piece of work, a vanity production from top to bottom with very little that feels genuinely candid.

See all 14 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 10
  3. Negative: 3 out of 10
  1. Its was really beautiful and amazing documentary from Beyonce, most important Beyonce is REAL artist and human. She's shows what I love the most: behind the scenes, hard work, confessions, perfomances... #beyhive Collapse
  2. Never saw a doc that made me laugh and cry so much. Enjoyed it immensely and I highly recommend people to watch it even if they're not Beyoncé© fans. A must see! Expand
  3. I really believe this is one of the deepest and most honest portraits of a superstar like Beyoncé. I cried three times during this film and II am not a sap. Expand
  4. This was nothing but a full-on Beyonce infomercial. It really didn't reveal anything about her that we didn't already know. The best part of this "documentary" was the last 5 minutes or so. That's it. It's the same song and dance of many other celebrity docs--"Woe is me. Why was I given this life? My life is not perfect. Even though I'm a celebrity I have feelings like everyone else." Blah blah blah. This was nothing but smoke and mirrors, giving us nothing but the Beyonce that she wants the public to see, not what's actually there. I'm waiting to see a deeper Beyonce. But it does bring up the question: Is there a "deep" Beyonce? Probably not. If we scratch beneath that surface, there's probably nothing but more surface. Sad, really. Expand

See all 10 User Reviews